Albanian opposition protests against government corruption in Tirana

Opposition lawmakers and supporters in Albania blocked the main streets of Tirana on Tuesday, demanding the government be replaced by a technocratic caretaker cabinet, where experts rather than politicians make decisions, until the 2025 parliamentary elections.

The protesters accused Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party of corruption, election manipulation and judicial overreach, halting traffic at major intersections.

Hundreds of activists, some of who travelled from other cities, clashed with riot police, attempting to disperse the crowd. Others staged sit-ins or attempted to push back officers. Protesters chanted, “Rama go away”.

Gazment Bardhi, leader of the Democratic parliamentary group, urged police at Wilson Square to carry out their duty by ensuring a peaceful protest and redirecting traffic.

Ultimately, police officers deployed around key government buildings used water cannons and tear gas to control the crowd near City Hall and Wilson Square.

The conservative Democratic Party and its coalition, which led the protest, also rallied against what they called politically motivated charges against its leaders, Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta, in separate corruption cases.

“Albanians’ revolt and civil disobedience cannot be stopped,” declared Flamur Noka, the Democrats’ Secretary-General, as Berisha remains under house arrest.

The protest concluded after three hours, with opposition leaders vowing to continue nationwide demonstrations.

While Albania’s next parliamentary elections are slated for spring 2025, polls indicate that Rama’s Socialists are likely to maintain power, partly due to a divided opposition.

Both the US and the EU have urged the opposition to engage in dialogue, stressing that violence would hinder Albania’s EU integration efforts.

Discussions with Brussels on aligning with its legal and democratic standards began in October, with Albania aiming for membership by 2030.